The present invention relates to information processing apparatuses such as word processors and computers, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus incorporating a pattern generator for generating patterns of characters, including symbols and pictorial symbols, and a recording medium on which pattern generation programs for use in the pattern generator are recorded.
Conventionally, for an information processing apparatus such as a word processor, some pattern generating methods for generating patterns of characters including symbols and pictorial symbols have been proposed. For example, Japanese laid-open patent application No. (Tokukaihei) 3-169655 (published on Jul. 23, 1991) discloses a xe2x80x9ccolor image output and display methodxe2x80x9d of generating a colored character by dividing a single character pattern into a plurality of strokes, defining outline approximation information for each stroke, assigning a stroke number and a color code corresponding to the stroke number to each stroke, restoring the outline of each stroke from the outline approximation information in a color image memory during output and display, and putting color of a specified color code into the inside of each outline.
However, with the method of Japanese laid-open patent application No. (Tokukaihei) 3-169655, when generating colored characters of various different typefaces, it is necessary to set a stroke number and assign a color code for every character of each typeface. Moreover, the color code which is once assigned for generating a character of a typeface can not be used for generating the character of a different typeface. Therefore, when generating Chinese kanji characters, this method suffers from a problem that it is necessary to store color codes for the strokes of more than about 7000 characters for each typeface and the volume of information becomes extremely large.
Moreover, with this method of assigning a color code to each stroke number, it is impossible to put color into the inside of a stroke geometrically and in a complex manner.
In view of the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus capable of easily producing high-quality patterns, which are colored in various ways according to typeface, by reducing the number of steps of producing data and the data volume necessary for generating patterns by putting a plurality of colors into each stroke of characters including symbols and pictorial symbols.
In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus of the present invention is an information processing apparatus for generating patterns of characters including symbols and pictorial symbols, and generates a pattern of a character by drawing constituent elements constituting the character according to type skeletal shape information indicating a skeletal shape of the character and element shape information indicating an outline shape and a skeletal shape of each of the constituent elements, and by combining the constituent elements drawn.
With this structure, since a pattern is generated by drawing constituent elements of a character according to the type skeletal shape information indicating a skeletal shape of the character and element shape information indicating an outline shape and a skeletal shape of each of the constituent elements of the character and by combining the constituent elements drawn, an outline of a desired pattern can be generated by deforming the element shape according to the type skeletal shape, in accordance with the type skeletal shape information indicating the skeletal shape of the character and the element shape information including the outline shapes and skeletal shapes of minimum elements constituting the character, which are sorted according to typeface.
More specifically, compared with a conventional font development which requires designing of patterns of characters (including symbols and pictorial symbols) for each of different typefaces, the above-mentioned structure can develop a typeface with a smaller number of steps and decrease the data volume, because this structure can generate a pattern by simply designing the element shape information which is sorted according to typeface.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an information processing apparatus of the present invention is an information processing apparatus for generating patterns of characters including symbols and pictorial symbols, and includes: an information memory section for storing, in advance, type skeletal shape information indicating a skeletal shape of each character and element shape information indicating an outline shape and a skeletal shape of each of constituent elements constituting the character; an element shape information changing section for changing the element shape information according to the type skeletal shape information; and a pattern generating section for generating a pattern of the character by drawing the constituent elements according to the changed element shape information and combining the constituent elements drawn.
With this structure, a character of a desired pattern is displayed according to the type skeletal shape information and element shape information stored in the information memory section in advance. It is thus possible to generate the outline of a desired pattern by holding the type skeletal shape information indicating the skeletal shape of the character and the element shape information including the outline shapes and skeletal shapes of minimum elements constituting the character, which are sorted according to typeface, and by deforming the element shape according to the type skeletal shape.
In other words, compared with the conventional font development which requires designing of all of patterns of characters (including symbols and pictorial symbols) for each of different typefaces, the above-mentioned structure can develop a typeface with a smaller number of steps and decrease the data volume, because this structure can generate patterns by simply designing the element shape information which is sorted according to typeface.
Here, the pattern generation in the above-mentioned information processing apparatus is carried out with the use of a recording medium having, for example, the following pattern generation programs recorded thereon.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the recording medium with the pattern generation programs recorded thereon of the present invention is used in an information processing apparatus for generating patterns of characters including symbols and pictorial symbols, and includes the process of generating a pattern by drawing constituting elements constituting a character according to type skeletal shape information indicating a skeletal shape of the character and element shape information indicating an outline shape and a skeletal shape of each of the constituting elements and by combining the constituting elements drawn.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, it is preferred that the information memory section in the information processing apparatus further stores, as the type skeletal shape information, at least element paste information which specifies the element shape information corresponding to the constituent elements and element drawing order information which specifies order of precedence of drawing performed by the pattern generating section.
With this structure, in addition to the function of the information processing apparatus including the information memory section, since the element paste information which specifies the element shape information corresponding to the constituent elements and the element drawing order information which specifies order of precedence of drawing are stored as the type skeletal shape information in the information memory section, it is possible to easily control over-painting of the constituent elements and generate a high-quality pattern without a limitation to the design of the pattern.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, it is preferred that the information memory section in the information processing apparatus further stores, as the element shape information, at least a single piece or plural pieces of outline information, color specifying information corresponding to each piece of the outline information, outline drawing order information which specifies order of precedence of outline drawing performed by the pattern generating section, and skeletal point information indicating a skeletal shape peculiar to each constituent element.
With this structure, in addition to the function of the information processing apparatus including the information memory section, since at least a single piece or plural pieces of outline information, the color specifying information corresponding to each piece of the outline information, the outline drawing order information which specifies order of precedence of outline drawing performed by the pattern generating section, and the skeletal point information indicating a skeletal shape peculiar to each constituent element are stored as the element shape information in the information memory section, it is possible to express a complicated outline shape and coloration, and easily control the over-painting of the outlines. Consequently, a high-quality pattern can be generated without a limitation to the design of pattern.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, it is preferred that the color specifying information stored in the information memory section in the information processing apparatus further includes outline color information which specifies a color code and thickness of an outline of each constituent element, and inside color information composed of a direction of drawing the inside of the outline of the constituent element and a single color code or a plurality of color codes.
With this structure, in addition to the function of the information processing apparatus including the information memory section storing the color specifying information, since the color specifying information includes the outline color information which specifies a color code and thickness of an outline of each constituent element, and the inside color information composed of a direction of drawing the inside of the constituent element and a single color code or a plurality of color codes, it is possible to draw a patten in which a single outline is colored to have a pattern of, for example, geometrical gradations. Thus, a pattern with high-quality color representation can be generated.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in the information processing apparatus in which the skeletal point information is stored in the information memory section, it is preferred that the element shape information further includes coordinates values representing each of skeletal points for expressing the skeletal shape, and a skeletal point color code indicating color information peculiar to each skeletal point.
With this structure, in addition to the function of the information processing apparatus including the information memory section storing the skeletal point information, since the element shape information includes the coordinates values representing each of skeletal points for expressing the skeletal shape and the skeletal point color code indicating color information peculiar to each skeletal point, it is possible to draw a patten in which the inside of an outline of the element is colored to have a pattern of, for example, geometrical gradations.
Moreover, since the skeletal point color code has a value independent of the color specifying information in the outline information and a plurality of painting ways can be stored for a single piece of element information of a single typeface, it is possible to generate patterns colored in various ways without increasing the data volume.
Furthermore, since it is possible to perform over-painting of the respective element information and over-painting of a plurality of outlines corresponding to a single piece of element information, a high-quality pattern can be generated without a limitation to the design of the pattern.
Besides, since it is possible to perform both drawing according to the color specifying information possessed by the outline information and drawing according to the skeletal point color code possessed by the skeletal point, patterns colored in various ways can be generated without increasing the data volume.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an information processing apparatus of the present invention generates patterns of characters by drawing constituent elements constituting the characters according to type skeletal shape information indicating skeletal shapes of the characters including symbols and pictorial symbols, element shape information indicating an outline shape and a skeletal shape of each of the constituent elements, and drawing information for determining a design, including color and pattern, of each constituent element, and by combining the constituent elements drawn.
With this structure, since a pattern is generated by combining the constituting elements drawn according to the type skeletal shape information indicating the skeletal shape of a character, the element shape information indicating the outline shape and the skeletal shape of each of the constituent elements constituting the character and the drawing information for determining a design, including color and pattern, of each constituent element, it is possible to generate an outline of a desired pattern by deforming the element shape according to the type skeletal shape, in accordance with the type skeletal shape information indicating the skeletal shape of the character and the element shape information including the outline shapes and skeletal shapes of minimum elements constituting the character, which are sorted according to typeface.
Namely, compared with the conventional font development which requires designing of patterns of all of characters (including symbols and pictorial symbols) for each of different typefaces, the above-mentioned structure can develop a typeface with a smaller number of steps and decrease the data volume, because this structure can generate a pattern by simply designing the element shape information which is sorted according to typeface.
Moreover, with the above-mentioned structure, a pattern is generated according to the drawing information for coloring and patterning the constituent elements as well as the type skeletal shape information and element shape information. Thus, the above-mentioned structure can develop a typeface with a reduced number of steps and decrease the data volume compared with the conventional font development which requires addition of color information with respect to every stroke, because this structure can generate a pattern by simply designing the element shape information sorted according to typeface and setting the color information.
Additionally, since the drawing information for drawing the constituent elements is stored independently of other information, it is possible to change only the drawing information. With this structure, since the user can change the design of a typeface and pattern such as coloring desired by the user individually, the drawing information can be set by each user. Furthermore, when a new typeface is developed, this structure can manage the new typeface quickly.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an information processing apparatus of the present invention includes: an information memory section for storing, in advance, type skeletal shape information indicating skeletal shapes of characters including symbols and pictorial symbols, element shape information indicating an outline shape and a skeletal shape of each of constituent elements constituting each character, and drawing information for determining a design, including color and pattern, of each constituent element; an element shape information changing section for changing the element shape information according to the type skeletal shape information; and a pattern generating section for generating a pattern of the character by drawing the constituent elements according to the changed element shape information and the drawing information and by combining the constituent elements drawn.
With this structure, a character of a desired pattern is displayed according to the type skeletal shape information, element shape information and drawing information stored in the information memory section in advance. It is thus possible to hold the type skeletal shape information indicating the skeletal shape of each character, the element shape information indicating the outline shape and skeletal shape of each of minimum elements constituting the character, which are sorted according to typeface, and the drawing information for determining the design, including color and pattern, of each constituent element, and to generate an outline of a desired pattern by deforming the element shape according to the type skeletal shape.
In other words, compared with the conventional font development which requires designing of the patterns of all of characters (including symbols and pictorial symbols) for each of different typefaces and addition of color information with respect to every stroke, the above-mentioned structure can develop a typeface with a reduced number of steps and decrease the data volume, because this structure can generate a pattern by simply designing the element shape information which is sorted according to typeface and setting the color information.
Here, the pattern generation in the above-mentioned information processing apparatus is carried out with the use of a recording medium having, for example, the following pattern generation programs recorded thereon.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the recording medium with the pattern generation programs recorded thereon of the present invention is used in an information processing apparatus for generating patterns of characters including symbols and pictorial symbols, and includes the process of generating a pattern by drawing constituting elements constituting a character according to type skeletal shape information indicating a skeletal shape of the character, element shape information indicating an outline shape and a skeletal shape of each of the constituting elements and drawing information for determining the design, including color and pattern, of each constituent element, and by combining the constituting elements drawn.
It is preferred that the drawing information stored in the information memory section in the information processing apparatus further includes drawing order information indicating a drawing order of each constituent element, color specifying information specifying a color of each constituent element, outline drawing order information indicating a drawing order of an outline of each constituent element, and skeletal point color information specifying a color of a skeletal point of each constituent element.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the ensuing detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.